The Chinese word 河豚 (hétún), meaning "pufferfish" or "blowfish," is a compound noun formed through semantic combination: the first character 河 (hé) means "river," indicating the fish's primary freshwater habitat (though many species are also marine), and the second character 豚 (tún) means "pig" or "suckling pig," metaphorically describing the fish's rounded, bloated body shape, especially when inflated, and possibly its perceived tenderness or fatty texture. Thus, the term literally translates to "river pig," an evocative name that visually and descriptively captures the creature's key characteristics.